Chapter 498 – Mom’s Red Hair

Naruto asked the woman what is another person doing here and how did she know his name.

She said of course he would not know and asked him to guess who she is. She laughed and asked Naruto if she already figured it out.

Naruto said she is the Kyuubi’s true form which made her laugh all the more. Naruto commented how her laugh is uncouth and said that the Kyuubi cannot fool him by disguising as a woman.

The woman then shouted at him that ended in “dattebane.” Naruto was stumped when he heard it and the woman apologized saying it just slipped from her mouth. She explained that she’s naturally impatient and a fast talker, so adding that to her sentences became a habit. She said further that she tried to stop saying it but it just comes out whenever she gets excited. She asked him about himself, hoping that he does not have any weird verbal tics like her. Naruto was just staring at her.

She went on to say that Minato must have forgotten to tell him about her and when she was about to say who she is, Naruto embraced her tightly. Crying on her arms, Naruto said he had always wanted to meet her and called her “Mom,” with a “dattebayo” at the end of his sentence. Kushina noticed and said that he really does take after her.

Meanwhile, Bee and Yamato were surprised that Naruto’s transformation stopped. He asked Yamato if he did that but Yamato said it stopped on its own.

Naruto, on the other hand, was telling her mother that there were so many things he wanted to ask her if he ever saw her. Kushina said that is fine but they need to take care of the Kyuubi first so they can take their time and talk.

Chains came out from Naruto’s body and nailed down the Kyuubi to the ground. The Kyuubi noticed that it was Kushina’s chakras.

Kushina explained to Naruto that Minato included her chakras in the sealing ceremony for the time that Naruto would learn to control the Kyuubi. She said Minato wanted her to help him.

Naruto, though, was just looking at her. Kushina asked if he was even listening to her. Naruto’s response is that he was glad his mother is pretty. Kushina thanked her and said that he got his father’s hair but otherwise, he looked like her. She apologized for that.

Naruto asked why. He said if she is pretty and he looked like her, then he must be handsome. He added that she has a pretty straight red har and wished he’s gotten that as well. He imagined himself in straight red hair while saying that. (He looked like Sai!)

Kushina said he was the second man to ever compliment her hair. When Naruto asked who was the first, Kushina said it was her father of course.

Naruto said he’s always wanted to ask her a question. He asked how she and his father fell in love which surprised Kushina. She said it was kind of embarrassing and ended up adding “dattebayo” at the end of her sentence. Naruto said she must be excited then and Kushina replied that she was more like flustered by the question.

Kushina then told Naruto how she met Minato. She said that she moved to Konoha from another village when she was still a Genin. She didn’t know anyone. She said that she and Minato were so young when they first met and her first impression of his father was that he looked kind of like a sissy and unreliable.

She said that on the first day at the Academy, they had to talk about what they want to be when they grow up and since she wanted to impress everyone, she declared that she wants to become the first female Hokage.

With that, Naruto exclaimed that it is exactly what he’d expect from his mother and that she takes after him. Kushina said that actually he takes after her.

She said that her classmates thought she was a brat coming in from another village and saying she wants to be a Hokage. He said the boys would tease her and call her “tomato.” Naruto asked her why they call her that.

so cute!

Kushina said that she was chubby, so she had round face plus red hair so she looked just like a tomato. She said that even she could see the resemblance.

Naruto asked if his Dad protected her from those bullies. Kushina said no, not at all. She said she beat up the boys who made fun of her and crushed them like tomatoes. She added that with her long, red hair flying as she beat them half to death, she gained another nickname, “The Bloody Red Habanero!”

Naruto thought about Kiba and Shikamaru and now realized they were scared of their mothers. He then asked what his father answered to the question what he wanted to be when he grows up. She said that Minato said he wants everyone in the village to acknowledge him and become a great Hokage. Naruto smiled at what his father’s response was.

Kushina said that the first time she heard that, she made fun of him because he looked unreliable and thought that there was no way he could ever be Hokage.

Naruto asked why and protested that his father was really strong. Kushina agreed and reasoned that she was yound and didn’t know any better so she looked down on him until a certain incident. She said she always hated her red hair but after that incident, she came to love her red hair because of Minato.

Naruto asked what happened then. Kushina said she has special chakras and some people from Kumogakure kidnapped her because of that. In order to leave a trail, she pulled out her own red hair and dropped it to the ground, making sure nobody would notice. She said Konoha immediately put up a special task force to look for her but nobody could find her. She had almost given up hope when she was already taken to the border.

Naruto exclaimed that that was it. Kushina said that Minato was the only one to find her and rescue her. He said he was the only one to notice her red hair. He said that Minato told her that he noticed it right away because her hair was so pretty. She said that Minato looked like a splendid ninja to her then and he made her believe that he could make his dream come true. She added that more importantly, her plain red hair that she always hated brought her her soulmate. She said it became her red thread of destiny and since then, she liked her hair and came to fall in love with Minato.

Kushina said she has special words reserved for the man who would compliment her red hair and asked Naruto if he wants to hear it. Naruto said yes.

Smiling, Kushina told her son that she loves him. He was surprised and was happy at the same time.

Kushina then asked him what is the product of “Konoha’s Yellow Flash” and “The Bloody Red Habanero.” Naruto answered joyously, “Konoha’s Orange Hokage.”